Category: News update

The International Symposium on Human Rights and the Digital Challenge kicked off today, Tuesday, March 16, 2021, at ICESCO headquarters. The Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Ministry of State in Charge of Human Rights and Relations with the Parliament held the symposium face to face and via videoconference. The event saw a high-level participation from Morocco and beyond.

During the opening session, Mr. El Mostapha Ramid, Minister of State in Charge of Human Rights and Relations with the Parliament, talked about the remarkable strides Morocco made in the field by strengthening the legislative powers with several laws, including the right to access information and the cybersecurity law.  He added that the misuse of technology caused several problems such as the spread of the discourse of extremism, hate, and racism, stressing that ensuring the sound use of technology requires devising plans and measures likely to guarantee the rights of individuals. The Minister also underscored that restricting the right to access to the digital world should be an exception.

In his address, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), noted that some governments have almost completely embraced digital transactions, while others still do not possess the prerequisites of digital transformation, which, he stated, calls for ensuring territorial justice for all. The DG also warned that the impact of the growing digital progress on human rights requires the adoption of a different approach that respects and protects the collection, storage, and transfer of individuals personal information within the digital world.

Dr. AlMalik stated that the dangers that modern technology pose should not eclipse its numerous advantages and major role in advancing societies and humans, reaffirming that the ultimate goal is to strike balance between technological development and the protection of peoles’ basic rights and freedoms.

The DG also commended the approach Morocco adopts in dealing with human rights, under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.

In her address, Ms. Amina Bouayach, President of Moroccoʻs National Council of Human Rights, talked about the challenge of subjecting digital spaces to legal provisions, in light of the growing numbers of people accessing these spaces and the emergence of what is called new media. She added that the transnational digital revolution elaborated the forms of demanding rights in our societies, especially economic, social and cultural ones, and anchored the notion of social and territorial justice as a new concept.

Mr. Mʻhammed Abdenabaoui, President of the Public Prosecution, talked about the efforts of Morocco to protect citizens’ rights within the digital space, highlighting several measures taken to protect the rights of this space’s users and prosecute violators. He added that digital technologies have become a tool to exercise several rights such as the right of expression and publication and consolidated principles such as equality, noting that the digital space allowed for promoting access to several services and departments, especially during the pandemic.

Mr. Omar Seghrouchni, President of Morocco’s National Commission for the Control of Personal Data Protection, underlined the need to focus more on protecting citizens in the digital society rather than just protecting their personal data, stating that societies should shield themselves against international platforms whose sole interest in making profit.

The symposium includes three sessions addressing the following topics: “Right of access to accurate information in cyberspace and the protection mechanisms of personal data,” “Hate, violent and discriminatory speech in the digital space: prevention mechanisms and protection tools”, and “Human rights and the digital challenge: actors’ roles.” The close of the symposium features reading the symposium’s final report and recommendations.

The Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, reaffirmed that the future challenges, which the rapid developments in technology and artificial intelligence pose, impose upon us a set of common duties and responsibilities. The list includes ensuring safe access by Islamic world societies to cyberspace where the freedom of expression and belief as well as academic, cultural, and educational freedoms are respected and the dignity of the human self is preserved.

The statement came in his address at the opening session of the international symposium “Human Rights and the Digital Challenge,” that ICESCO and the Ministry of State in charge of Human Rights and Relations with the Parliament in Morocco held today, face-to-face at ICESCO headquarters and by videoconference.

In his address, Dr. AlMalik stated that ICESCO seeks to thwart the threats to individual rights in the cyberspace by urging its Member States to develop their legislation and ratify international conventions related to the protection of personal data, the fight against all forms of discrimination and violence against women and children and immigrants, as well as those relevant to combatting violent extremism, prevention of money laundering and all forms of cybercrime.

The DG called for joint action to develop regional and international systems based on cooperation and complementarity between the judicial and legislative institutions and the civil society. He also lauded the quantum leap that Member States and private legislation made in monitoring cyberspace and responding to all sorts of crimes. Dr. AlMalik announced ICESCO’s establishment of the “Human Rights and Digital Transformation” Chair to promote the sincere efforts to absorb these changes in Member States.

ICESCO DG reaffirmed that all the risks associated with modern technologies should not conceal their advantages in developing societies and ensuring human progress. “Technology is an efficient tool in monitoring and anticipating potential violations to human rights. Our objective is to ensure balance between technological development and the protection of rights and freedoms,” he concluded.

The participants in the major international celebration, which the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held to mark the official launch of the Year of Women, sent a letter of thanks and gratitude to His Majesty King Mohamed VI, Monarch of the Kingdom of Morocco, for granting his patronage to ICESCO’s initiative of the Year of Women.

The letter, which Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), readout at the close of the celebration, stated that the women representatives of governments, international governmental, and non-governmental organizations and institutions, at the highest level of responsibility and leadership, having participated in the official launch of ICESCO’s celebration of 2021 as the Year of Women under the theme “Women and the Future”, were privileged to express to His Majesty their heartfelt thanks for having granted his patronage to ICESCO’s Year of Women.

 The participants also seized this opportunity to convey to His Majesty their sincerest gratitude and appreciation for the special attention King Mohammed VI attaches to women in Morocco and at international events, expressing their delight with the outstanding position Moroccan women have attained at all levels of responsibility.

The participants also conveyed their appreciation of the Moroccan government’s commitment to preserve the rights of women in full compliance with the lofty values of Islam and the gains of the human rights system and international conventions. The letter reaffirmed that the high patronage of his Majesty has left a deep imprint on ICESCO family, the Member States, and international partners.

“Indeed, sponsoring women-related activities for a whole year truthfully testifies to the attention Your Majesty accords to the empowerment of women and the preservation of their rights, the achievement of justice and the keenness to build on women’s contributions and creations toward the achievement of comprehensive development”, the participants stated.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) announced officially in a major international celebration, the launch of ICESCO 2021 Year of the Women, under the theme “Women For the Future” and under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco.

The celebration saw high-level participation of first ladies, princesses, ministers, women leaderships from the United Nations and other international organizations, several Moroccan male and female ministers, and public figures.

The opening session of the celebration kicked-off with a recitation of verses from the Holy Quran, a welcoming address to the participants, and a musical performance of a poem that ICESCO produced dedicated to all women around the world in appreciation of their pioneering roles in all fields.

Ms. Intissar El-Sisi, the spouse of the Egyptian President, delivered an address wherein she stated that the celebration comes in a culmination of women’s active contribution over the past decades in all political, cultural, and socioeconomic fields and participation in building civilization since its inception.

She also reviewed the efforts of the Egyptian government in the field of supporting women and gender equality in recent years. Ms. El-Sisi closed her address by reaffirming Egypt’s constant willingness to cooperate with ICESCO to ensure the success of joint Islamic action in supporting women.

Addressing the participants, Dr. Mariem Mint Dah, First Lady of Mauritania, noted that women are a source of inspiration and innovation, either on the cultural, scientific, or social level and that women’s education constitutes powerful leverage for socioeconomic development.

Dr. Mariem Mint Dah also appreciated the important role women played during the COVID-19 pandemic to counter its negative repercussions at all levels. She also indicated that the road of women towards the future is not without obstacles while stressing that the sought-after forward-looking vision must start with women in all their facets, capabilities, talents, and sources of inspiration.

In her address, Ms. Rula Ghani, First Lady of Afghanistan, praised the achievements of Afghan women in all fields and stressed the need to stand with women, encourage them to persevere, and strive to ensure they enjoy their right to healthcare and education.

Dr. Madeeha bint Ahmed al Shibaniyah, Minister of Education, readout the address of the Sultanate of Oman, upon the high instructions of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, Sultan of Oman, may Allah preserve him. The address stated that ICESCO’s choice of “Women and the Future” as a theme for the Year of Women 2021 mirrors the appreciation and pride of ICESCO of women’s role in society, confirmed by its tremendous efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic in the fields of education, health and social care.

The Sultanate of Oman’s address also reaffirmed the great confidence in ICESCO’s ability to draw a clear roadmap of women leaders to future generations in all areas to meet sustainable development requirements.

In her address, Ms. Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and Chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group, expressed the need for women to assume leadership positions. She also stressed that women empowerment is key for building a brighter future for individuals and communities. She lauded the efforts of the United Nations aiming to encourage women to showcase their capacities and talents.

In his speech at the celebration’s opening ceremony, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director-General (DG), expressed his deep thanks and gratitude to His Majesty King Mohammed VI for his high patronage of ICESCO’s Year of Women 2021 and welcomed the participants at the headquarters as well as those who attended by videoconference.

Dr. AlMalik explained that the choice of 2021 to serve as a year of women was not fortuitous but emanates from a desire to reward the merit of women and recognize the pioneering roles they played and still play before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, while stressing the Organization’s keenness to accord women their rights, appreciate their status and highlight their societal role and contribution to the future building.

     The DG emphasized that ICESCO welcomes all cooperation initiatives with bodies and institutions in the Member States and with international organizations to enhance the pioneering role of women. He announced a package of initiatives, projects and programmes the Organization intends to implement throughout 2021, namely the establishment of a specialized international platform that includes the most prominent influential and inspiring female figures; the launch of a training programme to prepare 1000 young women leaders; cooperation programmes with the Member States to support them to raise international indicators for women in line with their national policies; and the support for orientations likely to achieve UN sustainable development goals.

At the close of the opening session, the “Light of the Future” was launched as a symbol that marks the start of a new year with new hope: the Year of ICESCO for Women 2021.

The Director-General (DG) of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, emphasized that the Organization’s celebration of culture capitals in the Islamic world countries stems from the awareness of the importance of cultural assets and a desire to change the image of these cities for the better. The goal is to change the cities from a cultural interchange into a cultural destination, in a way that gives each city its cultural appeal and soft power that enables it to score top positions in the international ranking.

In his televised address at the launch ceremony of the celebration of “Doha, Islamic World Culture Capital for 2021”, ICESCO DG said that “since ICESCO launched the Islamic World Culture Capitals Programme in 2005, 50 culture capitals have been celebrated in the Islamic world. Throughout this period, we have discovered the rich cultures of the Islamic world countries and strongly felt our sense of belongingness to the great Islamic civilization”.

“The selection of a culture capital aims to expand the borders of each of ICESCO Member States to represent us all,” he added.

Dr. AlMalik congratulated H.H. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, the Qatari people, and the Government of Qatar that the Ministry of Culture and Sports represented, on choosing Doha as the Arab region’s Islamic world culture capital for 2021, noting that this choice comes in recognition of Doha’s millennia-old tradition and history.

The DG pointed out that cultural heritage and culture in the Islamic world have suffered heavy damage due to looting and vandalism, calling on the Member States and Qatar to support the Organization’s programmes and projects, especially those relevant to digital culture dissemination. The aim, Dr. AlMalik underscored, is to protect, highlight, document, and export the richness and diversity of cultural heritage and cultural creations in the Islamic world to ensure that the Islamic World Culture Capitals Programme achieves its civilizational stature and bold goal.